Rebuilding and consolidating faith is a long-term process; Aldric was in no hurry.
The journey from Purple Wisteria Village to Winter Town took thirteen days going there, but the return trip took nearly a month.
During this long month, the Free Folk gradually became accustomed to life in the Silver Hand.
Aldric was an easygoing leader usually, but once training started, he became very strict. This was hard for the Free Folk, used to being loose and undisciplined, to accept. However, they had to accept it, or face collective punishment for the whole team. Squad 2 even had a bad incident: a Free Folk warrior was beaten up by his teammates while sleeping at night.
Fortunately, Free Folk warriors were also involved in the beating, preventing the incident from worsening into a factional conflict. In the end, Squad 2 Captain Phibot and Jon Snow were punished by standing for a whole day, while other warriors were docked five days of meat rations. The beaten warrior enjoyed a Flash of Light treatment, recovering from his injuries.
Since then, Free Folk resistance to training disappeared completely. Not because they suddenly understood training made them stronger on the battlefield, but because the captains discovered Commander Aldric never used corporal punishment on subordinates, only standing or squatting penalties. For brawlers, it was just docking meals.
This meant as long as one was willing to pay the price and didn't beat the subordinate to death, the Commander's magical spell could save them without sequelae. The captains' cost of punishing subordinates was disproportionate to the Free Folk's cost of resisting training, so naturally, no Free Folk dared to cause trouble again.
When everyone focused on serious training, the overall effect improved significantly.
When Aldric led the team back to the temporary camp south of Winter Town, people unfamiliar with the Silver Hand could hardly distinguish who was Free Folk and who was from the Mountain Clans.
Before leaving Winter Town for Purple Wisteria Village, Aldric had obtained permission from Young Lord Robb to build a camp by the small river.
So Aldric handed the camp construction to Conrad and Juan brothers, while he and Rennel returned to the Blacksmith Courtyard. First, to see how John was doing holding down the fort alone; second, to look around town for any new situations.
When Aldric pushed open the door to the courtyard, he saw John tinkering with carpentry alone in silence.
"Septon John, have you been well?"
John looked up, saw Aldric and Rennel, and was overjoyed. "Ah, thank the Seven, you're finally back."
"My dear brother."
Rennel hugged John. "I missed you to death, and that bed you made me. Is anyone in the big house? I want to sleep a bit right now."
Due to the surge in personnel, the Silver Hand's original tents weren't enough. Though replenished in Purple Wisteria Village, several people had to squeeze into one tent, so Rennel hadn't rested well lately.
John smiled bitterly. "Go, go. I promise no one will disturb your rest."
"What, no one comes for service lately?"
"Sigh," John sighed. "I'm getting idler these days."
"Seven or eight days ago, Marvin, a brother who often came here, a cobbler... he accidentally pierced his inner thigh artery while whittling wood."
"His family sent him to me. I bandaged his wound and prayed for him all night, but Marvin still died of blood loss..."
John shook his head, speaking bitterly, "His daughter, a ten-year-old girl, asked me: her father was a believer of the Seven, often praying here, why was none of the Seven willing to save him?"
"I didn't know how to answer, nor how to explain to her that I am a Septon serving the Smith, not skilled in healing... After Marvin died, he was buried in the common cemetery outside the city. His family didn't invite me to preside over the funeral, and no one came to the Sept for service again."
The three were silent for a while. John asked, "Aldric, if you were here then, could you have prayed to your Sun God for grace and healed his injury?"
Aldric nodded, then shook his head. "John, my hometown has an old saying: everyone has their own fate."
John said heavily, "Staying in Winter Town these months, I've seen much different scenery. Coming here, my goal was to shepherd lost lambs for the Seven. But after staying so long, I think the lambs here don't need my shepherding."
"I stayed here, partly to watch the house for you, partly to say goodbye in person. I plan to return to the South."
John was a devout Septon and a kind person. After getting along for so long, Aldric regarded him as a brother.
Seeing him so dispirited, Aldric couldn't bear it and didn't want him to leave just like that.
So Aldric asked, "Do you have enough travel expenses? I remember you don't have much money."
"When the Ice Spiders were still around, many people made offerings to the Seven. I have a few Silver Stags left. I also took some furniture repair jobs these two days. After finishing these orders, I can set off."
"If not enough on the road, I can repair odds and ends for people like before to get by."
Hearing this, Aldric waved his hand. "Poor at home, rich on the road. From here to the South is a long journey; that little money isn't enough."
"I know you won't accept my money for nothing. How about this? Help me with a favor. After it's done, I'll cover your travel expenses."
John thought about it. Being friends, helping each other was right. So he asked, "What is it?"
"Young Lord Robb agreed to let me build a camp by the river where I forged iron before. I entrusted Conrad and Juan to handle it."
"But Juan is an apprentice who never finished his term, and Conrad has never done carpentry. The Northern winter is so cold; I worry the camp they build won't be good. How about you supervise them? Just a few barracks, won't take much time."
John nodded. "Fine. I'll make sure to build you a fortress."
"That won't do. Just livable is enough. I don't want to wake up one day seeing Young Lord Robb besieging my camp with troops."
Joke. Building a fortress near someone's castle? Tired of living too comfortably?
After settling with John, Aldric continued, "Then take your tools there tomorrow morning. Rennel and I have other business."
Rennel pointed at his nose. "Huh? I have business too?"
"Otherwise?" Aldric raised an eyebrow. "Tomorrow go with me to the Wolf's Kiss Tavern. I'll introduce the owner, Harvard, to you. Future contact with him will be your job."
Rennel pondered. "Tavern... I know taverns. Leave it to me."
Early next morning, Aldric took Rennel to the Wolf's Kiss Tavern and pushed the door open.
"Morning, Brother Harvard."
Harvard looked up, saw Aldric, and smiled. "Hmm? Purple Wisteria Village mission done?"
"Yes. Wiped out a Wildling raiding party. Didn't take much time. This is your share. Count it."
Aldric took out a Gold Dragon and fifteen Silver Moons, lining them up on the counter.
Harvard opened the drawer under the counter, didn't count, just swept them in.
"Wildling raiding party... not easy to deal with. A while ago, a few Wildlings sneaked near Winterfell's Hunter's Gate, almost hurting Young Master Bran. Don't know why Wildlings are so active these two years."
Aldric nodded somewhat guiltily. "Who says otherwise? What happened later? Did Robb kill those Wildlings?"
"Heard one was kept as a servant."
"Oh... that's good."
Aldric skipped the Wildling topic. "By the way, let me introduce you. This is my Liaison Officer, Bard Rennel. He'll be responsible for contacting you here in the future."
"Liaison Officer? Setting up such a position, seems your ambition isn't small."
"It's okay. After finishing this mission, recruited twenty-odd more people. Now my troop has forty-something men. How about it, Brother Harvard, introduce some big business?"
"Big business, heh—" Suddenly Harvard's eyes changed. "Big business—not that there isn't any, but soon there will be."
Aldric's heart jumped, unsure if fear or excitement. "What happened?"
Harvard tapped the table dissatisfiedly. "What, sitting dry without drinking, how to chat?"
"Oh, I want a Rye Ale. You?" Aldric asked Rennel.
"Me, if there's new Cider, give me a cup."
Harvard took the money, served the drinks, watched them each take a sip, then lowered his voice. "My friend in Winterfell told me Lady Catelyn kidnapped the Lannister dwarf in the Riverlands."
"In retaliation, the Kingslayer killed several of Lord Eddard's guards and broke one of the Lord's legs—The Young Lord is preparing to call the bannermen to seek justice."
Hearing this news, Aldric's mood was heavy.
Private grudges of great nobles easily triggered wars between two kingdoms. Even on Earth, such examples were endless in history. "To what extent does the Young Lord plan to mobilize?"
Harvard was confused by the term mobilize. "Mobilize, what is mobilize?"
"I mean, who will be called? Just noble lords and their standing armies, or all Northern men who served, or all adult males between fifteen and sixty?"
"Adult males between fifteen and sixty—Gods, what kind of hell did you grow up in?"
Yeah, people there play with drones throwing stuff from the sky now.
After sighing, Harvard shook his head. "Not as exaggerated as you think. Reportedly just calling lords to discuss matters, haven't decided the scale of deployment."
"But if the situation changes, it could turn into real war anytime."
"So if you want to catch this wave, better wait patiently."
"Aren't your men mostly raw recruits?"
"Exactly, I don't have combat missions worthy of forty men right now. Why not use this time to discipline your troops and improve equipment?"
"If you have money, might as well recruit more people. After all, noble lords hire soldiers by head count."
"Thank you," Aldric took out an extra Silver Stag and slid it to Harvard. "The information you told me is very important."
"I need to go back and discuss with my brothers what to do exactly."
"Of course."
Harvard didn't stand on ceremony, sweeping the money into the drawer, then turned to Rennel. "Kid, you're called Rennel, right? Can you play—"
Harvard and Rennel discussed his part-time singing gig at the tavern. Aldric didn't care. He was thinking about the prophecy: the war in the South was finally starting.
The Northern threat had been confirmed by him and Benjen Stark; news of Southern chaos came from Harvard.
Now Aldric faced a choice: go South to join the infighting of human kingdoms, or stay North to defend against possible White Walker invasion. This dilemma made him feel torn.
But Aldric didn't need to give an answer right now. As long as Young Lord Robb hadn't officially issued an order recruiting mercenaries for war, he still had buffer time.
Anyway, buying equipment and supplies first was never wrong.
Aldric gulped down the remaining ale, then stood to leave.
Seeing Aldric leaving, Harvard mentioned, "Recently, mercenaries and free riders hanging around here might hold a few gatherings at my place. If interested, I'll have Rennel call you."
"Okay, thanks Brother."
Leaving Wolf's Kiss Tavern, Aldric and Rennel went to the market district, found a smithy, spent a few Gold Dragons buying many iron ingots and scrap iron, and hired people to haul them to the Blacksmith Courtyard.
After returning to camp, Aldric had Kevin take soldiers to haul them to the riverside camp.
When Aldric reported the news from Harvard to the officer corps, Conrad was the first to shout, "I said it! What use are barracks for mercenaries? Can't live there a few times a year, waste of time."
Hearing this, John sitting aside was embarrassed. He came to help build barracks. If the South really fought, these barracks might be useless for a long time.
"Barracks aren't important," Rennel said worriedly. "I'm from the Westerlands. Among everyone here, trust me, I know Lord Tywin best. Lady Catelyn kidnapping Tyrion, Lord Tywin won't let it go. Even King Robert's personal mediation won't work."
"Tyrion Lannister... Aldric and I got along well with him on the way to the Wall. Saying he's linked to Young Master Bran's injury is too far-fetched. If she really wanted clarification, Lady Catelyn should have released him unharmed."
"But Lord Tywin won't think so. Lord Tywin..." Speaking of this, Rennel suddenly shuddered. Despite the bearskin coat from Purple Wisteria Village, he felt a chill rising from his heart.
"Lady Catelyn comes from House Tully of the Riverlands, the highest and strongest lord there."
"With Lord Tywin's vengeful nature, all Riverlanders will pay for this."
"Believe it or not? Lord Tywin won't be like the little wolf in Winterfell 'calling bannermen to discuss,' but is solidly organizing armies to attack the Riverlands already."
Hearing this, sweat broke out on Septon John's forehead. Having traveled for years, he knew too well how armies of this era treated enemy civilians.
But he still unwillingly laughed dryly. "Rennel, not really? Lord Tywin's daughter is the Queen. The Queen should mediate between the King and Lord Tywin. After all, bannermen fighting without King's order looks bad for the King's face, right? Right?"
At this time, Jon spoke up. "Queen Cersei... I don't think she cares about the King's face."
"Though she probably doesn't care about Lord Tyrion's life either, as long as it makes the King unhappy, the Queen will surely be happy. My father..."
Aldric frowned and glared at Jon. Jon immediately corrected, "A while ago, when I followed Father to the Lord's feast welcoming the King, I saw from afar the King and Queen sitting at the high table, barely saying a word. She finished eating and left without even asking the King's permission."
"If the Queen mediates, maybe the Westerlands and Riverlands will fight even harder."
Aldric nodded. "Seems this war is unavoidable."
"Why avoid it, Commander?" Conrad responded. "We are mercenaries. Don't we fight to make money? Now a big war is in front of us. Not joining in would be sorry to our name—Silver Hand."
"Are none of you afraid of death?"
Aldric scanned them one by one.
Vitaly, Phibot, Cain, Kili: "Not afraid, only afraid of poverty."
Eddie: "Commander, I apply to buy six warhorses."
John: "Aldric, I want to return to the Riverlands. My relatives and friends are there."
Rennel: "This is the start of a legend. I must witness it."
Kevin: "Teacher, where you go, I go."
Finally, Aldric punched his palm. "Good, then we go South!"